


three wishes and a kiss

by 127ghouls



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Exes, Fluff, Genies, M/M, Romance, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 07:04:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16113311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/127ghouls/pseuds/127ghouls
Summary: taeyong (a loser when it comes to romance, having zero hope in loyal partners after the 5th guy had cheated on him) is forced to buy a lamp from an antique store and summons a genie who grants him three (3) wishes.or that fic where taeyong is a hopeless romantic and jaehyun just wants belly rubs.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i honestly don't know. don't ask me, i get random plots in my head and write them poorly.

He knows he isn't ugly. Hell, Taeyong is easily one of the most attractive men in the whole of South Korea if the number of admirers he had is anything to go by. Taeyong has the perfect package: looks that came straight out of a manga, jaw that could cut diamonds and a soaring IQ of 145. Isn't he what everyone wants? A beauty with perfectly working braincells.  
  
But it seems like those are not enough for Taeyong's exes. When they pursued him, they made him feel like he was all they ever wanted, all they ever needed in their lives and nothing would ever compare to his existence. They apparently lied.  
  
'It's not you, it's me.'  
'Something's lacking in you...'  
'I fell out of love, I'm sorry.'  
  
Gave him different versions of 'I cheated because I can't keep my dick in my pants and I'm tired of you.' Taeyong doesn't really care if they found him boring after a few months of dating. Whatever weird quirks they found out that failed their expectations, Taeyong doesn't know. It's not a valid reason to cheat on him. They're all just plain assholes.  
  
So he wonders, what went wrong?  
  
"I'm turning 28 and then two seconds later I'll be in my 30s. I'm pretty sure I'll die alone, Yuta." The sigh that comes out of him makes the Japanese man frown. Yuta shakes his head and asks the bartender for another glass of Scotch Whisky, not forgetting to send the latter of flirtatious wink.  
  
Sicheng scoffs and slams the glass on the table, some of the content spilling on the matte black surface.  
  
"Only 28, you say. You have all the time in the world. My grandparents married at 45. Plus, your career is more important that how frequent you wanna get laid,"  
  
Taeyong denies Sicheng's offer for a refill and waves off the bartender. "Your grannies married late. They had your parents already. And shut up about my career, I've been enslaving myself in that consultation firm for the past five years."  
  
"And I haven't?" The club roars into the wild of midnight, almost deafening the patrons. No one cares. They're here to lose themselves and escape the harsh truth of life for a few hours. "You wanna date me? We're basically on the same page."  
  
That almost pushes Taeyong off his seat. Not Yuta. Yuta is off limits.  
  
That must have been heard by Sicheng, since the next thing Taeyong knows is that Yuta's been dragged off his stool and taken somewhere he honestly doesn't want to know. Those two love roleplaying that leads to one of them with kiss-bruised lips the next day.  
  
Now that Yuta's gone and Taeyong's left alone again, he lets himself wallow deeper into his own misery. Leaving a bill on the table, Taeyong's soon out of the club to walk home, ignoring available cabs in exchange of taking his time to think of more possible reasons.  
  
He's running out of it. Taeyong only wants to be loved. Everyone deserves to find their soulmate and spend the rest of their lives with the rightful one. It can't be possible that he was born without a predestined lover, can it?  
  
"Fuck. I'm really gonna die alone,"  
  
Taeyong's about to look up the sky with his big, sparkly eyes for added sentimental effects (it's what the protagonists do in local dramas) when the air gets knocked off his lungs and he's sent down the ground with a painful thud.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
The man runs without much of a word for him and he really, really wants to believe he's been cursed or he just has bad luck. Taeyong dusts off his coat with a glare, mumbling things under his breath when an old lady comes out of the antique store (where the asshole that collided into him came running from, apparently), cursing.  
  
"Kids these days! When you don't have money, don't even dream of buying anything! Really.. Attempting to steal goods.."  
  
Taeyong watches the lady go back inside and it's only then that he gazes on the displays by the window. He isn't into collecting antique items, but there's something in that place that seems to lure him. It's probably the dim lighting and calm appearance of the shop. In the back of his mind, Taeyong vaguely wonders why a store like this is still open in the middle of the night.

The inside is typical of souvenir stores. There are wooden utensils on one side, some bronze. A variety of jewelries hung on a rack, purses and sling bags made out of hay and the main items of the store displayed around the rest of the place: vases, kettles, telephone and whatnot you can find in a, western household, mainly from Georgian to Victorian eras.   
  
The old lady is nowhere to be found. She's barely five feet tall so she must be somewhere hidden behind tall vases. Taeyong takes the liberty to look around with no intention of buying anything. It's just to feed his curiosity about men and women's interest of things they can't use anymore.  
  
Something gold sparkles from his peripheral vision. Taeyong realizes it's a small lamp, akin to one of those Disney movies. Was it Aladdin? It's definitely Aladdin. He approaches the item and chuckles to himself as he brings a hand to its side, about to caress to see if the movie's anything close to reality ㅡ  
  
"You touched it. Consider it sold, young man."  
  
Taeyong jumps back in shock, letting out an inhumane sound. He swears his heart's about to shoot out of his chest.  
  
"Oh God - when did you get there,"  
  
"I'm the owner. You must be hammered in the head if you don't know I'm supposed to watch customers. I just shooed out a potential thief, if you forgot," She snorts and glances at the lamp. "It's ₩50,000. I accept credit cards."  
  
"Are you serious? I was just looking!"  
  
Taeyong is unheard as she takes the lamp to the counter to put it in an opaque bag with _The Paradise_ stamped on it. It must be the name of the shop.  
  
"Seriously, I don't need the lamp..."  
  
The lady gives him a stink eye and points at one of the many placards attached around the shop.  
  
"You touch, you buy. It's my store's policy. You go out, I call the cops."  
  
Taeyong is beyond irked at the moment. He just wants to hit the sack and forget about his unfortunate chances in romance. He takes one glance at the door and thinks of running, this old lady can't possibly have a memory sharp enough to remember what he looks like if she does report him, but cops are one of his greatest fears. Who wants to get jailed anyway?  
  
"Fine,"  
  
With a grumble, Taeyong begrudgingly pays for the item in cash and snatches the bag off the counter.  
  
"And you need that lamp more than you can imagine..."  
  
He doesn't miss the glint in the old lady's eyes before he makes a quick exit to go straight to his apartment, never looking back to see that the store is nothing but a mere abandoned lot, and it only existed in Taeyong's mind.  
  


 

 

 

He kicks off his shoes, unceremoniously at that as soon as he enters the apartment. The clocks ticks, reading almost one in the morning. Taeyong drags himself to his room and his bed receives the bag from the shop, the lamp rolling out of it. It glows a dull gold when the moonlight hits it. Call him crazy, but Taeyong really wants to try if something will come out of it once he rubs the lamp. Hey, he paid for it. He might as well use it to his liking.   
  
Once he's out of the bathroom freshly showered, dressed in boxers and a plain white shirt, Taeyong slips under the covers of his bed and takes the lamp in his hands.  
  
"You're most probably gonna be an ashtray soon. By soon, I mean tomorrow."  
  
He hooks a finger through the handle and presses a palm to the lamp's body, slowly rubbing it. When he's sure he rubbed enough, Taeyong waits. The silence and anticipation, coupled with suspense are killing him as seconds went by and nothing happened.  
  
"This is a freaking scam,"  
  
Taeyong scoffs and puts the lamp on the nightstand, ready to succumb to sleep when the unexpected happens. Okay, he expected it but he didn't expect it to be actually true.  
  
The lamp glows, almost blinding him and Taeyong blocks the light with a hand. When the light dies down, Taeyong unblocks his gaze, ready to face a blue, mythical creature with half of its body seeping out of the lamp's mouth when he sees....nothing.  
  
Nothing of that fictional genie. In front of him is a man, dressed in a pair of jeans and muscle tee that reveals his toned arms. He's also smiling at Taeyong as if he's _excited_ to meet him. Alright, that's hecking cute but he won't say it out loud.  
  
"What,"  
  
"What do you mean what,"  
  
"Who the fuck are you?"  
  
The man, genie, whatever he is has the audacity to pout before sitting on the edge of Taeyong's bed. "I'm Jaehyun, your genie!"  
  
"No shit, sherlock. But what the fuck, you're real?" Taeyong scoots far away, setting a distance between him and the genie. "I thought you would be like the one in Aladdin. This is so anticlimactic."  
  
"That hurts. I'm actually happy to be here," Jaehyun, the genie, shrugs and grins yet again, offering his hand. Taeyong stares at it for a minute or two before taking the hand in his own, languidly shaking it.  
  
"I'm...Taeyong."  
  
Jaehyun shoots a dimpled smile, one that seems to have taken the oxygen from Taeyong. "Nice to meet you, master Taeyong. I'm your genie, at your service!"  
  
Taeyong tries his best to return a smile half as pretty as Jaehyun's. Yuta's going to have a blast listening to this. That is, if he even believes it.


	2. chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the second chapter! i'm sorry if it's short, i'm not really good with long, chaptered fics but hopefully this is alright! enjoy reading!

Best believe, the night went on with Taeyong getting no wink of sleep. The genie rambled on and on about wishes and magic Taeyong couldn't comprehend at that moment, still in shock from the whole thing. Thankfully it's a Saturday and he doesn't have to go to work or else he's dead. Like, literally. A Taeyong without sleep is an unproductive Taeyong.  
  
He rolls out of bed, fully intent to make himself a cup of dark coffee to burn his throat and remind him that this is all real and he isn't dreaming. What transpired the previous night is real, far from fantasy, even if the mere existence of Jaehyun is anything but real. Maybe it is, but how sure is Taeyong that he isn't just smashed from a possibly drugged Scotch Whisky? Sicheng doesn't hold a grudge against him, does he?  
  
The sight that welcomes him in the kitchen is painfully domestic...it just should be weird, but for some reason, Taeyong really can't find it in him to freak out. Jaehyun looks so normal, like an existing human being wearing Taeyong's We Bare Bears apron while shifting around to cook something. Is that an American style breakfast?  
  
"Good morning," It's too early for Taeyong to be cheerful. He didn't get to sleep and his ears are too sensitive to sounds, soft or loud.  
  
Jaehyun whips around to put the plates on the table once he's done cooking, and Taeyong would be a liar to say the food doesn't look delectable. There might be a bit of burned bacon but it's the thought that counts.  
  
"Eat up! Master shouldn't be skipping breakfast," The genie takes the apron off and sits next to Taeyong. He's about to pick up Taeyong's utensils to feed the other when Taeyong stops him and sighs, facing the genie's confused face.  
  
"You can just call me Taeyong. Master sounds so..."  
  
"Kinky?"  
  
Taeyong raises a brow and starts to eat, humming lowly at the burst of flavors in his mouth. "That, and I'm not your master. You're not my slave. You're my...guest."  
  
Jaehyun nods, probably in understanding and starts eating. Taeyong just noticed that he made breakfast for the both of them.  
  
"I don't really know what happened last night, but it seems like I have to do something about this. It just doesn't seem right, you know? That I have a genie? No one is going to believe me. I doubt if Yuta does. Once you're done, we'll go back to that shop and I'll return the lamp."  
  
Jaehyun only stares at him while he talked. When Taeyong doesn't get a response in a minute, he looks at Jaehyun, only to sense the tension in the kitchen. Jaehyun doesn't look as happy as last night anymore.  
  
"You know that the shop doesn't exist, right? That the old lady hypnotized you- wait don't scream!- because this has a purpose? That this what destined to happen? Stop hitting me!"  
  
Taeyong only stops slapping Jaehyun's arm when he sees that pout again. He looks like a puppy and Taeyong kind of gets reminded of Ruby. "I was hypnotized? And it was for a reason? What reason? I wasn't looking for a lamp the last time I recall!"  
  
Jaehyun shoves a spoonful of rice and egg in his mouth, and some rice spits out when he talks. It's gross, but Taeyong surprisingly doesn't mind. "That's what I was oriented about. That someone, the right person will find me and make use of the wishes I have to give. Which reminds me you haven't made a wish yet, by the way."  
  
It's odd. Taeyong half expects Jaehyun to act magical at least, like those in the movies he saw, but Jaehyun looks nothing close to magical. He doesn't float around, he's not wearing outlandish clothes. He even looks like a college boy with the jeans and tee. Taeyong allows himself to admire the exposed arms for a few seconds.  
  
"I remember you talking about wishes last night. If I wish for my life to go back to normal, like before I met you, would you grant it?"  
  
"Not on the first wish. You need to use two wishes before you ask me for that."  
  
Taeyong sighs and continues to eat. They will figure it out later. Right now, his stomach is grumbling and it looks like he'll ask for a second serving.  
  
  
  


 

"Are you sure it doesn't exist?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure it's not there now..."  
  
Jaehyun walks behind Taeyong, scurrying to catch up. Though he has longer legs, Taeyong is on a roll today and is eager to go back to the shop despite the genie's constant reminder.  
  
He didn't forget to let Jaehyun change into a new set of clothes. The pants are a little short, an inch or two above Jaehyun's ankles but they have to make do for today. He lent Jaehyun his biggest sweater that fits just right on the other, thanks to his built form.  
  
"Why is there an abandoned lot here... Is this the shop? It doesn't look like it!"  
  
A hand tugs on the sleeve of Taeyong's coat and Jaehyun shakes his head. "I told you, the shop is gone."  
  
Taeyong's shoulders sag as he glances at the lamp in his hands. It felt so real last night. Does it mean his ₩50K disappeared into thin air just like that?  
  
What the _fonk_.  
  
"This is ridiculous."  
  
He doesn't see the wince on Jaehyun's face.  
  
"Taeyong... Don't throw me away like this,"  
  
The evident hurt in the genie's voice makes Taeyong look at the other. That pout seems to be permanent etched on Jaehyun's luscious lips. And Taeyong /perhaps/ wants to ~~kiss it away~~ remove it.  
  
"I really think I was destined to be yours- I mean, to be in your hands. Like, you're also destined to find me. The old lady must have told you something, and she doesn't lie. She might look a little wicked, but she's honest and I'm here now. I'm here to help you."  
  
The sky turns cloudy and something wet hits Taeyong's cheek. It looks like it's going to rain soon. He sighs and purses his lips before putting the lamp back inside the bag.  
  
"What we can do right now is make use of the wishes I will grant you. Once you've used up all the wishes, I'm going to disappear. By then, my mission will be over."  
  
The smile doesn't reach Jaehyun's eyes. Taeyong can feel the forming ache in his head and he needs to find an outlet soon for his frustration before he explodes.  
  
And he knows who to find.  
  


 

  
  
When Taeyong finishes explaining, Yuta shifts his gaze to Jaehyun, scrutinizing the genie. Under an intense, watchful gaze, Jaehyun can only squirm in discomfort. Yuta may be on crack most of the time, but when the going gets tough and he has to intimidate, then he will.  
  
"Uh, haha. At this point, I think I can pull a pickup line. Am I a candle? Because I melt under your hot, scorching gaze."  
  
Yuta snorts and types on his laptop, eyes squinting at the screen as he reads numerous article titles. "Genies are a product of the mind, creativity of the imagination. Taeyong, I told you not to smoke too much,"  
  
"I never did! Believe me! Us! He really came out of this damn lamp!" His voice bounces againsr the four walls of Yuta's living room. Maybe if they look closely, then they will see the vibration. Taeyong huffs irritably and glares at the dirty gold lamp. "This is hard to believe, but I'm not insane enough to make up this shit overnight."  
  
Jaehyun wraps an arm around Taeyong to pull him close, comforting the other. The action doesn't register to the older until Yuta clears his throat and smirks at their direction.  
  
"Fine. This is too much for me, but you're my friend and I'll take it. What do you plan to do now? He said you have to use the wishes before he leaves. Why don't you do that? Since you're clearly bothered by Jaegoon's presence,"  
  
"It's Jaehyun!"  
  
Yuta pays no mind at the genie's childish reaction. Jaehyun really had the nerve to cross his arms over his chest like a kid denied of the sweetest candy. "Just make a wish and go."  
  
Taeyong glances at the genie, picking at the loose thread on his shirt. "I don't know what to wish for..."  
  
"I'm not forcing you to make a wish now. Think of something you really want to do so nothing goes to waste. I'll wait for you, I promise."  
  
"That means you have to stay with me for a longer time, you know."

A look of hurt flashes on Jaehyun's eyes before he effectively masks it with a nonchalant shrug which the two other men fail to notice. "Give me a break, I just came out of my prison. For the mean time, I'll try not to be a bother. I can cook and clean...?"  
  
Taeyong doesn't really have any other choice but to keep Jaehyun as a roommate. One, the genie isn't human and he has nowhere to go. Two, Jaehyun will only disappear completely out of his life once he makes use of all the wishes. Basically, they're stuck together. For a reason Taeyong still doesn't know.  He's too done to think of what the old lady told him.  
  
"Looks like it's settled then? Make a wish and it's all over. Don't worry your pretty little head too much. You can even ask Jaegoon to give you a boyfriend- hey! Ask him to change your lovelife for the better!" Yuta is too excited, looking at both the genie and Taeyong. "I knew it. I'm a genius."  
  
"Love life?"  
  
Taeyong dismisses the topic and cocks his head at Yuta, putting the lamp back inside the bag. "Where's Sicheng?"  
  
"Sleeping. Not here! You know he has to sleep in broad daylight. My baby's nocturnal. Speaking of that...maybe we should try roleplaying something new? I'm the vampire in search of the sweetest human blood and Sicheng is there, sweet little Sicheㅡ,"  
  
Taeyong is quick to cover both of Jaehyun's ears in panic. "What the fuck. No one really wants to know that!"  
  
Yuta doubles over in laughter, eyes watering.  
  
"Who's Sicheng?"  
  
Taeyong puts his hands down and makes his way to the kitchen, snatching a bag of unhealthy junk food. Jaehyun is the first one to dive his hand inside to munch on a handful of potato chips.  
  
"His boyfriend. They like to act out scenes sometimes to spice up their relationship."  
  
"Damn right we do!"  
  
Jaehyun shifts on the couch, facing Taeyong with brows creased in confusion. "What scenes?"  
  
"Oh, trust me. You don't wanna know," Taeyong knows he said the wrong thing when Yuta suddenly launches himself in between them, sporting the dirtiest grin Taeyong has ever seen.  
  
"Jaegoon, you interested? I can teach you, for furture purposes."  
  
The Japanese man doesn't get to say more as Taeyong kicks him off, sending him face down on the ground with a sickening laugh.  
  
Yuta deserves it. To be quite honest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on chapter 3, maybe we will start meeting taeyong's exes? hm. do you have any idea who they are? ; )
> 
> anyway, thank you for reading! a comment or a kudos will be nice ; A ;

**Author's Note:**

> see you guys on the next chapters!


End file.
